Lemon Mint Julep Recipe – Love and Lemons

Happy Saturday! Whether you’re a fan of the Kentucky Derby or not, you’ll be a fan of this minty fresh mint julep recipe. It’s so bright and springy! To be honest, I’m going to have a hard time choosing whether to celebrate my weekend with Margaritas or Mint Juleps – maybe I’ll make both.:)

Mint Julep Ingredients

A classic mint julep is made by muddling mint with simple syrup at the bottom of each cocktail glass before adding crushed ice and bourbon. Instead of muddling the mint, I like to make my mint julep by infusing the simple syrup with mint. It makes my mint julep that more minty, plus it’s easier to make for a group, since you can prep the syrup ahead of time.

Making minty simple syrup

Simple syrup is actually simple to make! Just simmer water and sugar in a small saucepan, continuing to stir until the sugar is dissolved. To make it minty, remove the pan from the heat, add the mint and let it steep for 15 minutes to infuse the mint flavor. Strain and chill the minty simple syrup until you’re ready to serve. It can also be stored in the fridge for up to 1 week.

How to make a mint julep

To make the cocktails, fill each glass with crushed ice, bourbon, and simple syrup. Because I really love lemon, I brighten up my mint julep with a squeeze of lemon. If you’re a mint julep purist, you can skip that step.

Stir and garnish with lots of fresh mint.

Here are some springy bites that I think would pair well with these mint juleps:

Mint Julep

Author: Jeanine Donofrio

Recipe type: Cocktail

1 cup water

1 cup sugar

1 bunch fresh mint

crushed ice

2 ounces bourbon

½ ounce minty simple syrup, more to taste

fresh lemon juice, to taste

fresh mint, for garnish

Combine the water and sugar in a small saucepan and simmer, stirring, until the sugar dissolves. Add the fresh mint, turn the heat off and let steep for 15 minutes. Strain and chill. The simple syrup can be made in advance and stored in the fridge.